Serenity's Soul
by Ducktape980
Summary: PLZ read prologue first chapter ! You know about the 7 Princesses, and the chosen Keyblade weilders, but do you know the legend of the Guardian's Soul? You will.
1. Prologue

Legend tells of seven princesses, all of purest heart, that rule over the worlds. They are also the keys to Kingdom Hearts. But, there is another legend, of another protector of Kingdom Hearts. A guardian soul. A soul so strong and clean it cannot be broken. This soul was created during the first great crisis, when someone first attempted to breach the door to light without permission. The soul was given to a child. This child was tested on wits and ability as they grew older, and was granted knowledge beyond all years, giving them the ability to remember and connect with themselves in the next life. so that they could pass knowledge on through the generations.

Centuries passed, and so did the soul. It was named the Soul of Serenity, because each person it embodied was given an inner peace, or calm, that they could tap into in times of need, and gave them great diplomatic skills and a clear mind, which were often used during world crisis'. But, somewhere along the line, one child became corrupt. They didn't want their power, and refused to accept their fate as Guardian, rebelling in any way they could, before eventually becoming something of a criminal, or demon. The Soul became shadowed, clouded with its new-found feelings and emotions that clashed and fought inside. It's power became too great, and finally, after the Guardian passed on, the current princesses of Heart split the Soul in two. They realized it had become too powerful, and decided this was the only way to keep the Soul safe. Finding more than one heart with the strength and purity required for the job would be too difficult, so instead of two separate people entirely, the Soul split the next person's heart, creating the first Nobody. This Nobody was unlike all* others who would come after them in time, because they carried half of their other's heart. They two people were kept as far apart as possible, so that they wouldn't merge and become too strong again. Years passed, and this new plan seemed to work. But, as the years went on, it became harder and harder to find purity and hope in children's hearts. For a while, the Guardian just... disappeared. They didn't need the Guardian anymore, and so the legend of the Guardian of Heart was forgotten.

Only a select few people remember the legend, and fewer still tell it. Until the day when it is needed again, the Guardian's Soul sleeps, awaiting its awakening.

Now, with an impending war that no one is prepared for on its way, the Soul will need to awaken, very soon.

*this is meant to mention that maybe I think/I'm guessing that that was the deal with Roxas and Sora, that he held part of his heart and stuff, but I'm not sure, so correct me if I'm wrong!


	2. Awaken

_Ok, so before I begin I have a few things I need to tell you. First, this is not a SoraxOC fic, or a new keyblader-goes-on-an-adventure-with-sora fic. I wanted to try and be original. Second, I know Sora beat all the Org. XIII members, but I'll explain that later when they make their reappearance. No worries, they don't come back to life exactly the same and more powerful and all that cheesy crap, so no worries. Now, here's a little background to my oc, and the rest of the story._

I don't remember my past. And sometimes, I find myself easily forgetting my present. But I never lose sight of my future. Never...

When I was very young, maybe only 4 or 5, my first memory was waking up in a small white room lying on a soft white bed, wearing an over-sized light violet shirt and baggy brown pants. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail, held by a simple black ribbon. Upon standing, I realized my pants were a bit too big, so I promptly tore the ribbon from my fiery orange red hair and used it as a belt. I sat back down on the bed, surveying my surroundings. The room was a dull, grey-white, and was mostly empty save for the bed and a book. I couldn't read at the time, so I didn't care about the book. There was also a soft auburn brown teddy bear on the bed, with a light blue ribbon around its neck like a bow tie. I clung to that bear during the next few days, because it was my only companion. Upon gathering my courage, I exited the small room to find myself in a vast grey castle. It lacked everything I later learned most castles had, such as rugs, curtains, and tapestries, but it was filled with something else. Shadows. They were always fuzzy, unclear, and they didn't even seem to acknowledge me. I watched them sift through the halls, disappearing into the floors and through the walls, like ghosts. As I explored further I found mostly empty shadowy hallways that didn't seem to lead anywhere. But then, I found the throne room.

The throne room was huge! And I don't mean it just has a high ceiling and a big imposing chair, I mean it was so big I couldn't see the walls on either side of the room, or the back wall, though the fact that the walls were mostly white probably didn't help. In the middle of the room was a large grey, high backed chair with an intricate heart design drawn into the back. I got this funny feeling in the pit of my stomach, like this chair was supposed to mean something to me, but it didn't. Not then, at least.

I eventually found ym way back to my small room, and by that time I was exhausted. I fell asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. But, what I dreamed of didn't leave me feeling rested in the morning.

In my dream, I was floating. Not drowning in water or soaring through the air, but laying on my back in the middle of a vast black emptiness. But the darkness seemed to be avoiding my, and I seemed to be giving off an ethereal glow that kept it away. It felt like some weird out-of-body experience, because I saw myself slowly drifting through the dark, not really going anywhere. Then, I heard a voice

"_Korin... Kirxon... awaken..."_

Thats when I sat bolt upright in my bed, wide awake and scared shi- well, you get the picture.


	3. Falling

My weird dream really scared me. But what didn't scare me was the voice that spoke to me in the dream. It was familiar, yet I couldn't place it. It wasn't a man's, or a woman's voice, but it felt comforting, like a mother saying goodnight to her kids. My 4 year old self recognized that small detail, that I was alone, and the voice just made me feel kinda homesick. But where was my home? All I knew was this castle, which was only occupied by me and the shadows.

The next few days were spent wandering the halls of the castle, not really looking for anything in particular, just walking. When I got tired, I would just curl up in a corner or along a wall, and fall asleep watching the shadows waltz around me. What was really strange though was the fact that I never got hungry and never needed the bathroom. It was almost like I was in a trance of some sort, like I was still sleeping all the time, and it was all just a dream. I spent what felt like only a few days in this routine, though unknowingly I was gradually growing older, each day aging a year, until I was about 16. That day, I fell asleep in a hall, still coddling the now slightly ragged teddy bear. But when I awoke, I wasn't in the hall anymore.

My eyes fluttered open after I got the strange sensation that I was falling. Once I was finally fully awake, I realized I WAS falling, and hard. I started to flail around like an idiot, trying grab a hold of something, anything, to stop my free fall, but there was nothing around me. Just the empty blackness from before, and the eerie glow keeping it at a distance. That eerie glow was accompanied shortly by another glow, this one coming from what appeared to be a large circular platform, one that looked a lot like a stained glass window. The image on the window platform was of a boy holding what looked like a giant key, and a bunch of smaller images of other people too. I didn't get much time to study the pictures, though, because my free fall sent me crashing through this window at such a high speed that I thought for sure I was going to die! But I didn't, and as soon as the window shattered, everything went into slow motion. The sound of broken glass was the first real noise I'd heard besides my own yawns and breathing, and the image of the boy was the only human I'd ever seen, so I just assumed I went into shock. But after the glass shattered and the noise died away, the world snapped into focus, and I was no longer falling in slow motion, I was again hurtling into nowhere.

As I flew, I crashed through a few more windows, all of them depicting either the boy, or one of his friends, in various situations. I never really understood how I wasn't broken and dieing, or who these people were an d why I was destroying their... memories? If I had been more conscious, I might have noticed that all the windows, in some order of another, told a story. And when that story ended, I gradually began to fall slower, almost as if I was sinking through water. I got turned around, and I was no longer falling head first. The next window I saw was of three people. One was a girl with short black hair, another a blonde boy who looked like he'd just rolled out of bed, and the third a spikey red head with tear drops engraved under his eyes. the blonde held a large key, much like the brunette boy from before. They all wore some strange black coat, and were all holding some odd blue rectangles on sticks. Ice cream...

But, how did I know it was ice cream? What the heck was ice cream? My confused musing ended as soon as I came to a soft landing on the new window platform. Seeing as I could move more freely now, I began to look around the platform. I decided to examine the faces of the people more closely, because I had never seen other people before. I didn't even now what I looked like!

The first person I wandered to was the red head. Something about him seemed to draw me in, like he was important. I pushed all thoughts of the twin key holders from my mind, even though a part of me urged me to question it. But i didn't. I was still looking intently at the red head's face. I knelt down, trying to get a better look at his eyes. They were an acid green, but the almost glowed, like they were lit from behind by fire. This image, this face, engraved itself in my mind forever. Which is a good thing too, because the next thing I knew, the platform window was cracking around me, and pieces began to fall along the edge, and the darkness was working its way into the center. I turned back tp the red head's face, and as I saw the cracks creeping closer to his face, I screamed "NOOO!". Then, the whole thing shattered around me, leaving my free falling again.


	4. Nana

Upon waking this time, I found myself lying on my back on sun-warmed stones, looking at an almost cloudless blue sky. The sun beat down on me, its warmth filling me, then almost baking me. And everything was so bright and colorful, I wanted to take it all in, except my eyes were starting to hurt. I hadn't ever been outdoors, and there weren't any windows in the little castle I was accustomed to. I sat up, rubbing my sore eyes. I began to stand, but I was a bit wobbly at first. I reopened my eyes, gradually getting used to the bright sunlight, and as I looked around, I noticed I wasn't entirely alone. At the edge of the strange plaza I caught a glimpse of something dark moving, but it darted out of sight around a corner before I got a good look. I turned around, and saw a little old lady, sitting cross-legged on a purple and gold rug, underneath a small, tattered brown tent stall on the other side of the square. Her pale blue shawl looked a bit smudged and dirty, and her wide, dark blue dress flowed out around her frail frame. The dress' hood covered her eyes, but her silvery grey hair was neatly braided and hung in twin braids on either side of her shadowed face.

"Come, child." She spoke to me, her voice raspy and old, yet almost soothing, like a grandmother. "Come here. Out of the sun for a while. You look quite pale, dear, and you're likely to burn in this heat."

She gestured to a small cushion beside her under the tent. I entered the tent, sitting softly on the simple cushion and trying not to disturb any of her strange bottles, vials, and jars lined up neatly along the tent walls. Whatever filled the jars was a mystery to me even today, but some looked like potions and ethers.

"Now, child, what is your name, and how did you end up in my courtyard?" She smiled at me, and I decided I would tell her whatever I could. The only problem was, even though I understood her, I couldn't remember, if I ever knew, how to speak. I opened my mouth, but no words flowed, just stutters and failed attempts at syllables. But the old woman seemed to understand, and simply laughed.

"Just as I suspected. I know all about you, child. Whatever your name, you are special, and I have been waiting for you for quite some time." And then I smiled too.

The little old woman, who told me to call her Nana, took me in, fed me, and even gave me some new clothes. For some reason, I wanted to keep my old clothes, and since they oddly still fit me, albeit a bit large still, I kept them on. Nana gave me a small suitcase of clothes, but I only chose a few things to add to my ensemble. When I returned from the back room of the tent, I was wearing a brown corset over my violet shirt, which still hung off my shoulders, and a long orange sash for a new belt on my baggy brown skater style shorts. I didn't have shoes before, but Nana gave me some bright orange and white shoes. I also found some black ribbon, so I wrapped it around my hands like gloves without fingers, because I had a feeling I was going to need some form of protection for my soft, unworked hands. After fixing my ponytail, with the few short strands of hair falling a bit in my face because they were too short for the ponytail, I exited the small tent room and stood before a smiling Nana. She just closed her eyes and shook her head, chuckling.

"Ah, child, you are very unique indeed." I wasn't sure if that was a compliment, or not. "Now, we must get to work."


	5. Bedtime Legends

Over the next few weeks, Nana taught me to speak again, which I picked up pretty quickly. She also taught me to read and write, and even a bit of math. For experience, she let me help her to service her customers, people in town looking for potions, ethers, and elixirs. Some of her more frequent customers, like Leon, Yuffie, and Cloud, used some far more colorful vocabulary with each other, which is something Nana would never have taught me!

I worked hard, and every night, although I was usually exhausted, Nana would tell me stories. Legends, she called them. My favorite was the one about the Guardian. But, one night, Nana told me a new story, the Guardian's Knight.

"I think you're ready to hear more of this story, child." She began. She always called me child, even though I had established a name for myself, one that I'd heard 'in a dream', Korin.

"Now, child, this tale is long and old, filled with dangers and despair. But it has a... a hopeful ending."

"It's not happy?" I asked.

"No, certainly not. But it could be, someday. Long ago, during a time of great crisis, a new Guardian was born. A fragile boy, who's father was gone, and his mother lost into the depths of her own insanity. He was strong of heart, but that only left room for more darkness to seep into it. And it did. As he grew older, and he developed his powers, he became... unstable. He began to deny his birthright, his powers, always trying to keep them at bay. Without serenity, even the strongest heart can fall into chaos." She stopped to light a candle as the dusk fell.

"The boy became blinded by his mind, and his heart was blocked out, left in the darkness. He began to due stupid things. Crazy things. He hurt many, and scared more. Many thought all hope was lost for him. Until the day he met... her."

"She became his closest friend, his confident, his ally against the forces that be. They were very, very close. But this was not some chance of fate. The Princesses of Heart decided the Guardian needed a companion, someone to help them when things became chaotic. They would be their closest allies, and some even became their significant others. They were known as the Knight of Serenity, regardless of gender. The Knight's job was to protect the Guardian, and keep them from falling into chaotic influence." Nana yawned, her already drooping eyelids starting to close. "That's all for tonight, child. Time for us to rest."

"Aww! But Nana!-"

"No buts. We'll have more work tomorrow, and I wont have you napping on the job!" Nana could be very strict sometimes, and curfew was not something to take lightly. But even though I wasn't very tired, I knew I should be well rested, because I had a feeling tomorrow would be a long day.


	6. Trouble

The next day begins fairly normally. I wake to the sounds and smells of Nana cooking breakfast over a small, controlled flame. I loved to watch her cook, not because it was anything special, but because I liked to pretend I could control the flame, move it to my will, make it blaze. But then Nana would snuff it out when she was finished cooking, and I'd shake off my silly daze. We ate in the front area of her large tent house, and watched as the people and the sun began to rise.

Today was different, though. I had a hard knot in my stomach, which meant I was troubled over something. I had a lot of questions about the story from last night. Like why, and how, and when. So I decided to ask Nana. She would know.

"Nana? How does a Guardian know who when they've met their Knight?" It was the first one to pop into my head. Nana smiled as she turned to look me in the eye.

"Well, child. I'm sure you'll know him when you see him. It's some sort of connection in the Hearts that pulls them together, and-"

"Wait, what?" I cut her off, although utterly confused. "Me? What do you mean, 'me'?"

She looked at me incredulously. "Well who else? Haven't you been paying any attention, child? I've been telling you about your history, trying to prepare you for life! Haven't you heard a word I said?" I was still confused, thinking she was just some superstitious old woman. But her next sentence snapped things into focus.

"How do you explain your life these past few weeks, hm? Waking up in a strange place with no memory, but with the strongest half a heart I've ever seen in my 63 years! Gracious, child, I've been preparing for you're reappearance my whole life! You are the new Guardian! The world has been waiting for you for a long time! And it's about time you showed up too. Xehanort just got himself destroyed for the second time, and the last keyblade bearers are looking for you!"

"Keyblade? What the heck is THAT?" I was getting really frustrated now. I'd honestly began to think she was legitimately insane.

"Why, it's the strongest weapon against darkness, child! The most powerful blades in all the worlds, that are used only by the chosen ones, the people with the strongest hearts."

"So, what does that have to do with me? And how do you 'know' I'M the Guardian?" I asked.

"Well, you appear out of nowhere, with nothing but the clothes on your back and that teddy bear, you had no past, and your heart is extremely strong, even though it's not all there." She was about to continue, when loud footsteps came thundering up to the front of the tent. The wide open entrance allowed the light to shine in, but it left the newcomer's face in shadow. He wore a dark blue jacket of some sort, with a red ascot type thing around his neck. As the sun retreated a bit behind the clouds, his sleek black and silver streaked hair shone in the new light, reaching just to his shoulders. There was also a long red scar along his right cheek, and he wore an eye patch. He was scowling, but now he smirked evilly. There were others standing behind him who were dressed similarly.

"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" He sneered, lifting his hand and motioning to the others to come forward. "Grandma here's protecting the Guardian. Sorry, Granny, but she's coming with me."

The other's that had come forward were wielding torches of some sort, and brandishing swords. The came rushing into the tent, ripping its thin walls and setting them ablaze when they deemed a room empty and useless. I screamed, Nana was still in shock, so I jumped up, pushing through the men to get to the back room, looking for the only thing I had to my name. I had mere seconds, and just as I picked up the brown teddy bear, something caught my eye. It was green, and it sparkled. I grabbed it and put it in my pocket before one of the soldiers grabber my shoulder hard and yanked my back into the front room.

"So long, toots." The leader said, saluting her lazily as he turned around and walked away, his followers in tow. One of the men kicked Nana on his way out, and that sent me over the edge. While they tried to push me out ahead of them, I fought the whole way, screaming at Nana to wake up, to get up, to breathe. Screaming led to pushing and fighting and struggling as I attempted to get out of his grasp. My screams must have reached someone, because the next thing I knew, I heard the sounds of punches and kicks getting thrown, and caught a glimpse of a few bright red spikes before they were smothered by soldiers.


	7. Warnings

**Authors Note:** **Kay, so HI everybody! First of all, I wanted to apologize for not updating in so long. Second, I just wanted to say thank you for reading this, and for sticking around this far into the story. I could use some constructive criticism from you guys, any advice or ideas are welcome, as well as telling me if I should continue to do different POVs or not. ALSO I'm going to warn you all that this chapter will be slightly longer(I hope) and I'm going to attempt another POV, but I won't label it because I don't want to give it away. After this I WILL label POV, no worries! And SORRY in advance for any ooc -ness, I haven't finished KH: CoM or 358/2 days yet, but I'm working on it so I'm doing my best with it. So yeah... Enjoy!**

**You know, if I owned Kingdom Hearts, there would be a movie solely about the Organization. Then a couple sequels/prequels about Ventus/Terra/Aqua's and Sora/Riku/Kairi's stories. But first, the Organization! Disclaimed, in case you didn't catch that.**

* * *

><p>'Ugh... man, my head is pounding!' I thought, reaching for my head. 'Wait a second... but that means...'<p>

"I've got a pulse!" I sat bolt upright, wherever I was, shouting out my surprise. That was a bad idea, because now my head hurt way worse. As I held my head in my hands, I started laughing. "I got a pulse! AHAHAHAHA! Wait... so that means...

I'VE GOT A HEART!"

I lay back down in pure awe, staring at the clear blue sky above me. This was amazing! I just laid there, listening to my blood pounding in my ears as I ran my hands through my red hair. _This could take some getting used too..._

I didn't get much time to enjoy my new heart, because off in the distance I heard screaming. Now, normally, I wouldn't have cared if someone was screaming for help, though I admit I might be mildly curious. But now, I got this hard knot in my chest, and it didn't go away. I felt bad for whoever was screaming, like I should try and do something about it. But I'd never had this feeling before. Was this what guilt felt like?

I didn't like it, so I decided I needed to do something about it. I stood up, wobbling a bit from my still aching head, then took off in the direction of the screaming.

~**Korin's POV**

Kicking and screaming didn't help my case at all. The soldier that had captured me had bound my wrists together in front of me so I couldn't fight back, and held my forearm in his vice grip. The sounds of the fighting in front of me got louder, so I stopped struggling. Suddenly, something hot and red, that looked a lot like fire, shot past me, nearly missing my head. It skimmed me, but hit my captor square in the chest. He let go of me as he stumbled backwards, and I took this opportunity to stomp on his foot and elbow him in the stomach. While he was doubled over I slammed my clasped hands onto the back of his neck, trying to hurt him but hopefully not kill him.

Turning back to the fighting, I caught more glimpses of flames. Something inside me told me I needed to get in there, so I took off into the mess or burly, and lanky, soldiers, pushing and fighting the whole time. Upon reaching the middle of the mob, I found myself back to back with my unexpected saviour. I still hadn't gotten a clear look at his face, but I would worry about that later. Right now I was just letting my instincts take over, trying to avoid getting beaten or burnt to a crisp. I had just lifted my hands above my head, about to slam them into a nearby attacker, when a fireball whizzed past, burning through the rope and freeing me.

"Much better." I said, more to myself than anyone else as I rubbed my wrists. Jumping back into a battle ready stance, I was caught off guard by a soldier, who's gloved fist was aimed at my stomach and closing fast. I prepared for impact, closing my eyes and holding my arms in front of me, just picturing the fist hurtling towards me. Then I realized that... nothing had happened. I opened my eyes and looked up to see that the soldier's hand was being held back, by some mysterious force. Suddenly, the force dissipated, and his hand was freed. As he massaged his hand, my curiosity got the better of me. I lifted my own hand, and focused solely on the soldier's other hand. It rose to match mine, so I decided to have some fun. I swung my arm around, his doing the same, and giving him a good smack or three before turning my attention back to the real fight. Unsure of the new ability, I began experimenting with it, and slowly pushing the limits. I lifted a sword here, relocated a fireball there, and already the odds were much more in my, er, _our_ favor. After taking a well placed kick to the back and falling on my face, though, I figured I should really stop messing around. Lucky for me, my attacker thought so too, and as he lifted his boot to stomp on my head, I waved my hand over me and created a strange, slightly violet tinted barrier between his foot and my face, angering him greatly. I pushed, and the barrier grew and surged, sending him flying.

The next thing I knew, the leader of the group, the one with the silver and black hair and the scar, called out to his troops.

"Fall back! Retreat! If we can't get her back alive Master Narxis will make sure WE're not alive!" And with that, they began to leave. Some ran, others, well, couldn't really run because they were unconscious, hopefully...

Since I assumed I was safe, I stood up, brushing myself off a bit. I heard something like shuffling feet behind me, and when I turned around, not only did I see the back of a straggling soldier flailing his arms out wildly, but also a falling, and flailing, red haired mass. I had no time to react, because the next thing I knew we were both on the ground, and his surprisingly light weight nearly crushing me. Curse me small, frail figure...

I was then pulled from my silent musings when I looked into the face of the fallen person. That face... so familiar...

WAIT! The picture! The glass window, the trio, the red head! He had the same flaming red hair, the same angled face, even the intoxicating toxic green eyes, except now, they held a hint of a teal blue along the edges. That, and his tear drop markings were gone. But I didn't really care. I was too absorbed in his face, even with the shocked expression on it.

We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, both of us shocked but not daring to move. That is, until I heard the snapping of small support staffs and the crashing of glass jars, which brought me back to reality. And he came with me.

**~Axel's POV**

For some reason, I hated to look away from her midnight blue eyes. I'd never seen a deeper, more amazing shade of blue in my whole strange, partially non-existent life. But as soon as she turned her head back towards the burning wreckage, I snapped back into focus. Awkwardly, we both stood up, and she took off almost instantly towards the burning tent as I brushed off my dirty, slightly burnt white v-neck shirt. I hadn't really realized what I was wearing until now. The simple white shirt was paired with a pair of plain, baggy black pants and some red and white shoes. Not too bad, seeing as I usually wore black anyways, this was a welcome change.

"NO! NANA!" Now I knew what concern felt like too. And I had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

**~Korin's POV**

"NO! NANA! No! No..." She wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Not yet! No, I wouldn't allow it. How could I let this happen? Why?

I was so absorbed in my thoughts I hadn't realized I was sobbing, and there were a few stray tears streaking my face. I also didn't realize, or maybe I just didn't care, that my random red headed hero had followed me, and was now crouching beside me as I held Nana's face in my hands. He placed a solemn hand on my shoulder, as an attempt at being comforting. But nothing could have comforted me then. Nothing.

Suddenly, her short, ragged breaths sharpened, and she opened her eyes slightly. I was so surprised I screamed out her name again, igniting new hope. She smiled at me, then turned slightly, and smiled some more. I followed her gaze to see she was staring at the young man beside me. He and Nana stared at each other for a moment before he looked away, off into the distance. Then Nana turned back to me, and began to speak, her voice soft but fleeting.

"Well done, my child. Well done." Her frail hand lifted, and I held it in mine immediately. I thought she was just talking about the fighting she may or may not have just witnessed. That is, until she spoke again. "He'll make an excellent Knight."

"Wha- Nana!" I half yelled, half whispered. Thankfully, whoever he was he didn't seem to know what she was talking about, because he had stood up and walked away for a moment, giving us some space and privacy.

"Now, child, before I go..." She spoke in between ragged breaths, her voice starting to falter. "I need to show you something. Do you have the gem?"

I made a random guess she was talking about the glittering green thing I had grabbed earlier. When I had grabbed the it and the bear, I had shoved them into a small grey knapsack, which I had put on my back. I took it off now, pulling out the gem. It was attached to a thick black ribbon of some sort. I handed it to her, but I didn't let go. I didn't have the chance.

There was a blinding flash of light, and the next thing I knew, I was standing on a beach. There were lush trees and a waterfall behind me, and in front of me a vast, clear ocean spread out under a setting orange sun. Spinning around in my new environment, I heard laughter and the sounds of pounding feet. I turned, and coming off of a dock to my right was a group of kids, all seemingly about my age. One was a boy with shaggy brown hair that spiked off in all directions, wearing a black and white hoodie and black and red shorts. Another was a boy with long silver hair, which mostly covered his eyes, wearing a yellow vest and blue pants. Lastly, there was a girl, with red hair, dark eyes, and a pink dress. Even before I fully registered each of them, I recognized them. They were the ones from the windows, the pictures I'd crashed through. And they were racing across the beach, coming towards me fast! There wasn't much I could do, so I just braced for impact. But they ran right through me, like I was a ghost. They didn't even acknowledge me, much to my relief.

"Pay attention, child." Nana's voice echoed around me, seemingly from nowhere. "These children are the keyblade bearers. They are your friends, and they will help you on your journey. The small boy is Sora. The taller one, Riku. And the girl is Kairi. You must find them," The scenery changed, and I was standing in a large stone castle, one that looked a lot like the one that was up on the hill near Nana's tent. More footsteps echoed in the hallway I stood in. The soldier from earlier was there, as well as a boy with jagged, dark grey-ish blue hair in a black vest and white and blue pants, and a person in a black coat with the hood pulled up. They were conversing, more or less, and were followed by a few others in cloaks, as well as a few strange grey monster like things. But, like before, the people passed right through me and continued on their way. The monsters, on the other hand, sent a chill through me as they passed. "While avoiding _them_."

"But, Nana, who's _them_?" I called to her. "And why do I need to avoid them?"

"They are after something, child. Something you have. And they cannot fulfill their evil purpose without it. You cannot let them have it, do you understand?"

"Y-yes Nana."

"Good. Now, if you ever need me, for strength or guidance, you may call upon me any time. I am always with you, in your heart."

She still hadn't answered my other question, but apparently she didn't have time, because suddenly the floor and the walls disintegrated, and I fell for a moment before the bright flash of light returned me to the present.

**~Axel's POV**

Figuring now was as good a time as any to stop and think a moment, I got up and left the girl and her grandmother alone for a moment. All these thoughts raced through my head, and now that I had a heart, there were emotions attached to those thoughts. There was the odd feeling of recognition, during the short battle, when I could have sworn I'd seen Xigbar, snarky and aloof as ever, in the flesh. But the man I saw couldn't have been Xiggy. Could he? If I was still alive, and I'd become a full being again, who's to say the others weren't as well? That would definitely be big trouble for me! After the stunts I pulled, they were all probably ready to kill me! Especially...

A bright glint of light out of the corner of my eye brought my attention back to the girl and her grandma. I hadn't noticed before, but as the girl stood up, I saw that she was about my age, albeit a bit shorter. Speaking of age, how old was I now? I hadn't really seemed to age as a nobody, but in truth I had. By now I was probably about... 17? Yeah, that seemed right.

The girl. She'd appeared before somewhere. In a dream, I think. I recognized her, but couldn't place her. It was a long shot, but maybe I knew her from somewhere...

"Good bye, Nana..." The girl said in parting. She had begun to walk away from the old woman, picking up a few jars that had rolled from the wreckage. She placed them in her backpack, and turned towards me. "Hey, you coming or not?"

"Wha-why? Er, I mean-" I couldn't figure out why she'd want me of all people to follow her, wherever she was going. I mean, I used to be evil, I killed people (if Nobodies count as people). But what I just said sounded... rude. Some part of me was pretty embarrassed, so it tried to salvage the conversation. "I barely know you."

"Well," She smirked, and my resolve melted. "You saved me. I feel like I owe you something for that. Besides, might need your help again sometime."

"Heh, from what I saw, you're no damsel in distress." I commented, running up beside her.

"And, I gotta feeling those guys aren't just going to leave you alone now that you kicked their butts. Especially that leader guy. He seemed real miffed when you showed up." She continued to walk, one hand in her pocket, the other on the strap of her backpack. "So, if we're going to be spending more time together, we should at least get to know each other." She spun around so she was walking backwards in front of me and stopped. "My name's Korin."

"Well, Korin, its nice to meet you. The name's Axel. Got it memorized?"


	8. Rain

**HEYZ EVERYBODY! So after some great feedback from a few of you (THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH! Free virtual sea salt ice cream for you guys!) I have renewed inspiration! Thanks again, and I hope I don't dissapoint!**

**Disclaimed.**

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><p><em>~?'s POV (all will be explained soon)<em>

Watching them disgusted me. I know I shouldn't have emotions, or at least they shouldn't be so strong, but just watching them joking around like all was right in the world, it was sickening. And secretly, I longed for that same relationship, the relaxed friendship, not some forced smile so I could get what I wanted. I finally got so sick of watching that I waved my hand over the foggy crystal ball I stood before, my hand glowing a faint blue-ish black. Suddenly the image altered slightly, and now the clear sky above them was clouded over and the roads flushed in a sudden downpour. I smirked benevolently, enjoying every moment. But my joy didn't last, because the large door on the other side of the room swung open, and Ienzo walked in.

"Having fun raining on their parade, Kirxon?" He asked in a monotone, barely looking up from his lexicon. I could understand why he was so interested in it, though. It wasn't like many other books. This one changed as you read it, showing you only what you truly desired to see. It was always a riveting read. And the only reason I knew that was because, on occasion, and only when I couldn't sleep, I would sneak into Ienzo's room and borrow it, returning it before morning. Hopefully, he never suspected a thing.

"Yes, actually." I finally replied. His eyes darted up from the pages, staring past his long grey blue bangs at me through the hood of my cloak. It made me feel uncomfortable. Not in a totally bad way, but I got butterflies in my stomach every time. I needed to break the silence. "So... Have you heard back from any of the others yet?"

By 'the others' he knew I meant his friends from the Organization. I knew all about them, but I had been avoiding them all, up until they had started dieing. I had become so emotionally attached to them from watching them like a dark soap opera, that I decided I would save them. I hadn't realized that by saving a few, I had unintentionally brought the all of them back as well, but they were at least still scattered, hopefully having been reborn on their homeworlds. Currently, we were trying to track them down and regroup, but until then I wasn't supposed to leave the castle, for fear of screwing something up.

"No." He replied, his eyes going back to the book. "But we did catch word that there's a new pirate in town in Port Royal. One who likes to play poker."

"Luxord." I whispered to myself.

"Rould."

"What?"

"His original name was Rould. Remember, we've all decided to use our real names, now that we're human somebodies again." Ienzo remarked, acting as though he wasn't really into the conversation, but carrying it on just to humor me.

"Most of us." I quipped, folding my arms and turning away from him. He sighed, possibly from regret, but probably from exasperation. I didn't like to be reminded that I was still technically a nobody, and he knew that.

"Sorry." He said, though he didn't quite sound convincing. He continued to read, and I continued to sulk. Finally, I'd had enough of the tension, so I began to storm out of the room, ripping the hood off my head and letting it slide down my high black ponytail and my snow white bangs swish from the sudden air current. But before I could finish stepping through the door, his voice stopped me in my tracks. Temporarily.

"Don't forget about the plan. We don't need you getting ahead of yourself. Stick to the plan, tonight especially, ok?" He almost sounded like he cared. I just huffed and stormed out of the room and down the white halls, looking to blow off some steam.

_~Korin's POV_

Shortly after we'd began walking, it started to rain! The sudden downpour had me and Axel running for cover.

"Ah crap! My hair's gonna get wet!" He yelled as we were pelted with water. We'd both put our arms over our heads for cover. He began frantically snapping his fingers as we ran, sparks barely jumping from the tips. "SAKI! No juice!"

"This must not be your day, huh?" I smirked, glancing up at him through the rain. He smirked back.

"Well, I met you, so it wasn't all that bad." He replied. I just laughed, glad the haze from the atmosphere covered my slight blush.

"You also got a wicked black eye because of me. AND a few good bruises, AND-"

"Alright, alright, I get it." He stopped me, laughing. "But I still think it was worth it. Way more exciting than my regular routine."

"And what exactly IS your regular routine? I mean, it's obviously not saving helpless damsels in distress." I thought it was just a harmless, quirky remark to carry the conversation. But his reply was far more serious.

"Probably the exact opposite." He didn't smirk, didn't even crack a smile. My own smirk fell swiftly. "Let's just say... What's in the past should stay in the past, and leave it at that."

Then he stopped abruptly, and when I saw what had made him stop and stare so wide eyed, I stopped too. A man with blue hair and a X scar across his face had stepped out from around the corner of a building, blocking our path.

"Really, Lea? You don't even miss your old... friends?"


	9. SOUP! XD

**YAYZ! New chapter! Can't believe I just spent the last of my iTunes giftcards from Christmas, and good tunage helps me work! K well no one really cares so here's the new chappie!**

**OH AND: I realize the last chapter confused a couple people, and to clarify, Ienzo is NOT, I repeat, NOTNOTNOT! Korin's Nobody! That doesn't even make sense, but then again, I didn't exactly explain much in that segment. So hopefully this chapter clears up more of the story! SORRY!**

**DiScLaImEd!**

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><p><em>~Korin's POV<em>

No one spoke. No one moved. No one breathed. Except for the man in front of us. I didn't recognize him, but Axel clearly did. And, from the sounds of it, they weren't on good terms.

"Saix." Axel seethed, definitely angry. "What do you want?"

"That's Isa, remember?" He smirked, enjoying the moment where he had a slight upper hand. "And I'm not going to hurt you. Or your new friend. I'm just a messenger."

Isa took a couple steps forward, causing Axel to tense and take a step back. This made Isa chuckle lightly.

"Remember, _Lea_, you were part of a bigger picture. Just thought you should know, you're not the only one who was given a second chance." As soon as he was finished speaking, a strange group of shadows began forming on the ground in front of us. They rose, becoming cute little bug like things with yellow eyes and bent antenna. I wanted to reach out and pet one, but I didn't get much time to react to anything before Axel grabbed my wrist and began running, forcing me to run alongside him, although I was a bit slower. I looked back, just in time to see Isa disappear around a building.

_~Kirxon's POV_

The barren walls and empty corridors made the Castle That Never Was seem even more empty than ever. It reminded me of the place I used to live, a long time ago. I don't remember much, but it was the first place I could really call home.

~-Flashback-~

The halls were dark, a deep grey with white accents and few decorations. There were large windows with thick black curtains, though they were usually drawn back. I loved to wander the halls, trying to count the windows or make patterns with the tiles. But it was difficult to remember where I was when I wandered out of my white room, because the halls all looked pretty much the same, and there was nothing to see outside the windows, just white space. I do recall that the first few days, or at least my first few memories, consisted of sitting in my small, white room, which consisted of a grey and white bed, and a white teddy bear with a dark blue ribbon and a book that sat on the floor in the corner. I was wearing a pale blue shirt with long, thick sleeves, and a long black skirt that dragged on the floor. The bear was my only company, but due to the fact that I was so young(though I didn't know my own age) and scared at the time, I didn't dare leave the small space, even with company. So I sat in that room, reading. Now, I didn't actually know how to read at the time, but regardless, I sat in that room, curled up in the corner beside the bear, looking at the little book and its strange letters and pictures. As I "read", some of the words seemed to float off the pages, and oddly enough I recognized most of them, even spoke them.

Eventually, I got bold enough, and possibly bored enough, that I finally opened that door and left my room. From the doorway I looked around, taking it all in. The halls stretched almost forever in either direction, but seemed to curve farther down the hall. I spent the next few days exploring, my book held tightly to my chest. As I walked, I recited some of the words I'd read, and sometimes even forming sentences. It became a regular thing for me to do.

One day I must have walked a little too far, because I reached another door, besides my own. It was large, with huge handles and intricate carvings. I opened it, and inside was probably the biggest, most important room I'd ever seen. It had a skylight that showed something besides white! Outside the skylight was a dark blue, vast nothingness, dotted with silver specks. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen!

Besides the skylight, there was also a grand looking chair with a high back in the room. It was intimidating, yet intriguing at the same time, with its unique carvings and symbols. I guess I spent so much time just staring at it that I got tired. I didn't bother going back to my room, it would have taken too long. So, I curled up at the foot of the tall chair, clutching the book, and fell asleep.

After that, I remember a weird dream, some voice saying something about awakening, and then waking up. I realized I was in an almost fully grown up body, still wearing my light blue long sleeved shirt and long black skirt, except now my hair was much longer, and my bangs were cut jaggedly and were now white. I had awoken in a white room much like my previous bedroom, except this one had a bed and a window, and outside that window was a giant heart shaped moon, another thing I'd never seen before. I was leaning up against the crisp white bed, and I used it to stand up and steady myself. Looking around, I saw a door. From outside that door, I heard a loud crash and some yelling, two things I'd never heard before. The only sounds I'd heard were my own voice, though it was mostly just in my head. I decided to open the door and find out what was going on, but I found walking slightly harder than before because I wasn't used to my larger body. Wobbling over to the door I finally managed to reach, I had just began to pull it open a crack when there was a loud BOOM! Smoke seeped in through the opened door, and I was about to shut the door again out of pure fear when something crashed into the door. And, me being a fairly weak person, and because I hadn't braced myself for impact, I ended up on the floor. Although I wasn't the only one.

Whatever had hit that door had slammed it open and fallen beside me, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a boy, about my age, with greyish blue hair that hung in his face. He had landed on his back, unlike me, and as he sat up he began coughing and wheezing like he almost couldn't breathe. He rubbed his eyes briefly before opening them, and, just my luck, he turned and noticed me.

~-End Flashback-~

"KIRXON!"

Falling out of bed, I realized I had been daydreaming again. Man, I HATED getting all nostalgic like that.

"Yo, Kirxon! Wake up!" Ugh, Xigbar. Why did they have to send HIM? Of all the people in this castle, why was he the only one willing to risk his life in waking me when I slept in?

"Yeah, Xigg, whadda you want?" I was still rubbing sleep from my eyes.

"It's Braig, kiddo. And Even says it's time to start prepping for tonight. We got an hour before showtime." He called over his shoulder as he walked out of my small room.

Figures. I had almost completely forgotten about The Plan. And with only an hour to prepare...

'SHNIT!' I said to myself, jumping up out of bed and over to my small wardrobe, pulling out one of two identical cloaks with hoods. One was black, the other a soft white. I decided to go with the black one, yanking it off the hanger as I sped out of the room, pulling it on.

~Korin's POV

We'd ran a few blocks by the time Axel finally slowed down. Taking a moment to catch our breath, I finally got the chance to ask him about those creatures.

"What... were... those things?" I said between breaths, my hands on my knees.

"Heartless." Came another voice. It wasn't Axel. We both jolted, turning and looking around to find out where the voice was coming from. A tall, gangly man with a thin brown ponytail and a thick, curly mustache stepped out of a nearby door frame, though he remained under an blue and white awning. He wore a dark green shirt, black slacks, and a an apron, and appeared to be a baker, from the flour and bits of food that splattered his shirt and apron.

"Loui!" Axel exclaimed, his cheery smile claiming his face. "How 'ya been? Long time no see!"

"A long time indeed, Lea." The man smiled. He spoke with a slight accent, but I couldn't place it. "And who's your new friend there?"

"It's Axel now, Loui. And this," He gestured to me, and I just stood there staring wide-eyed at how quickly Axel had gone from angry-like-he-was-about-to-burst-into-flames to cheery-happy-go-lucky-mellow dude. "Is Korin."

I waved a little, but mostly blushed, because the way Axel had said my name made my head go kinda flighty. Loui just smiled a little cheekier, making him seem warmer and nicer by the minute.

"Hello, Korin. Would you two care to come inside? You're soaked to the bone, but Delia's hot soup should help with that.

OHMAGAWD! My mouth began watering at the prospect of food, and as me and Axel exchanged a quick glance and a curt nod, all I could think about was the soup, maybe some bread and butter, and a warm fire to sit by. Needless to say, we practically raced each other for the door, nearly getting caught going through it at the same time.


	10. Dreams

**Hi everybody! I am sooooooo sorry for not updating, but I haven't had CRAP for time to work on the next chapter. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!**

**Demialcsid (disclaimed back words! I wanted to change it up a little!)**

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><p>~Korin's POV<p>

First of all, I have to say, the soup was DELICIOUS! It was hot and creamy, and had chunks of potatoes and vegetables and cheese melted in it, and it warmed me from the inside out! It was so good that I ate two whole bowls full, which is, like, twice as much as what I usually ate, but I didn't care.

Not only was the soup great, but Loui and his wife Delia were really nice to us. Their house was tiny, just a small apartment behind their quaint restaurant built for two, but they managed to make room for us. They'd also provided us clothes while ours dried by the fireplace. As I lay there on the worn wood floor, wrapped in a thick, homemade quilt and wearing most of my regular clothes once again, I began to think about the events of the past few days.

It all came rushing at me, as if the memories had been suppressed before, but now they filled and clouded my mind. They were nearly too much for me to take in, so I just decided to put them out of my mind for a while, just until things were less crazy.

As I lay there waiting for sleep, one memory managed to resurface, without permission I might add. It was the one of Nana dieing. I began to drift off into sleep, and in the dream there was fire, lots of fire. Not that I was ever afraid of fire. but it was everywhere, and in the distance, between the crackling and hissing of the flames, I heard Nana's voice call out to me. Her silhouette stood out against the burning hues, but for some reason I couldn't call out to her in reply. It felt as though I couldn't even breathe. I began running towards her, eager to crash into one of her warm, welcoming, bone-crushing hugs. But no matter where I turned or how fast or far I ran, I couldn't seem to reach her. Her voice began to get fainter, weaker, and finally, her silhouette and her voice faded away, and I finally managed to scream.

"NO!"

~Axel's POV

I was having a hard time sleeping, even after a few bowls of Delia's famous soup. I couldn't quite figure out why, but I couldn't seem to get comfortable. Maybe it was because of the bedding situation, because right now I slept on my back on an old flannel sleeping bag on the floor of the DelGatto apartment, and Korin was only a few feet away. Or maybe it was because of what Saix had said.

"_... You're not the only one who was given a second chance..."_

It sent shivers down my spine even now. That must have been what was making me restless. The idea that, maybe, just maybe, some of the others had come back too. That meant they would probably still be angry with me, especially after I killed most of them... And stabbed a few others in the back...

Which brought about another idea that was bothering me. Telling Korin. I turned my head to look at her sleeping face. She still had no idea. And if the others were still around, that meant I'd have to tell her sooner or later, unless I wanted someone to beat me to it and ruin my reputation with her forever. But if I told her, she'd probably freak out and run away. She'd think I was a monster, still a heartless Nobody who could kill at any given moment. But I'd changed! So why wasn't I comfortable with telling her? She was smart, so she'd probably ask questions anyway.

A sound broke me from my musing. Someone was crying. I looked back at Korin, saw her face distorted slightly with rage and sadness. She was sobbing in her sleep.

"NO!" She cried, twisting about in her sleep a bit before curling up into a ball, her blanket discarded. She then began to tremble, like she was cold, or upset. Probably both. That same feeling of need welled up inside of me, the one I'd felt before when I'd saved her, and when her Grandmother had died. I needed to do something about it, and at first I didn't know what. So I crawled over beside her and tentatively wrapped her blanket back up on her shoulders. I just sat there for a moment, watching her still shiver in her sleep.

Then I remembered, _'Dur! You still have your fire powers! There's fire in your veins! Put that to use! *Mental facepalm*'_ So I lay down beside her, hoping my own excess of body heat would make up for her lack of it. She reacted immediately, snuggling closer to me. The awkwardness of the moment lasted for only about a minute, even though it felt like an eternity. I slowly wrapped my arms around her, not realizing just how comfortable I was until I was finally drifting off to sleep myself.

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><p>~Kirxon's POV<p>

The images that flashed through my mind were vivid. They were bright, but distorted, estranged from reality. Clutching my head in my hands, I let out a faint groan of agitation. This wasn't the first time this had happened. No, it happened all the time, sometimes lasting for hours, others for only a few minutes.

What I saw this time was fire. Lots of fire. Not something I'm a big fan of. I wasn't exactly afraid of it, but it just... unnerved me. On top of that, there was also a lack of proper air reaching my lungs. I couldn't breath, even though I knew it was only a vision, only temporary. And the real kicker, what bothered me the most, was who I saw in the fire.

Korin.

My Somebody.

She had her back to me, but I'd recognize that red hair anywhere. She seemed untouched by the flames, like they were avoiding her, keeping their distance. She spoke, but it was mumbled, faint, and I didn't catch what she said. Before I could attempt to reply, she turned around, and what little breath was still in my aching lungs disappeared completely.

Her face changed. Her whole body had, actually. It wasn't Korin anymore. It was Zexion.

"Help me, Kirxon..." He said, his soft voice barely more than a whisper. "We all... have choices... Make yours..." Then, he was engulfed in flames.

There was a sudden rush of air to my lungs, and with that air, I screamed.

~Zexion's POV

Kirxon had been acting so strangely lately. Especially around me. Sure, I'd known her the longest out of all the other Nobodies (I was also the ONLY one, besides Xemnas and Vexen, that knew of her existence), but we hadn't exactly bonded much when we- when I was a heartless nobody. We were now on our way to Radiant Garden, riding in a "borrowed" gummi ship, and she was being quieter than ever. She'd been like this since this morning, probably preparing herself for the fight ahead of us, but it was a bit unsettling. Now, she sat across the small room from me, on a bench built into the wall. But I didn't dare break her calm with conversation.

I decided it was best if I just read my book for a while until our arrival. My Lexicon was designed to read the reader's heart and show them what they truly wished to see, but when I became a nobody, I didn't have a heart for it to read, so it changed constantly. Now that I was whole again, the book seemed to read my heart all too well.

I got so into my reading that I almost didn't notice the faint sounds of agitation and frustration coming from my sole companion in the room. She was holding her head in her hands, and her face was distorted in a grimace. She was having another one of her psychic episodes, and as far as I knew there was nothing I could do to help her until it was over.

But that didn't mean I wouldn't try. I knelt down beside her, clasping her thin wrists, and tried to calm her down. She began shaking, and suddenly, her ice blue eyes shot open and she screamed. It was so shrill and cold that it sent a chill through my bones.

Since feelings and emotions were still fairly new to me, I wasn't sure what to do next. I mean, I was really worried about her. But there was something else too, something I couldn't place... Regardless, I searched her face for any signs of harm or trauma, but before I could say anything, she lunged forward, wrapping her thin arms around me neck in a desperate hug. She began to sob, her gentle tears falling on my shoulder. I wasn't quite sure how to react, so I slowly wrapped my arms around her too, attempting to console her. This simple action sent an eruption of butterflies off in my stomach. And I still didn't know why.


End file.
